Chicken Soup With Black Beans and Corn

"Beginning with my Fast Chicken Soup Base it is easy to knock hours off of the cooking time usually needed for homemade chicken soup and still end up with soup that tastes even better than the 'from scratch' method."

Footnotes

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jun 08, 2005

Great twist on chicken soup! I didn't use the base as suggested, only chicken bouillon because I didn't have time to make the base. I only used 1 can of black beans and 1 can of whole kernal corn since that's all I had on hand. I added a can of green chilis, 1/2 sauteed onion, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. I omitted the jalapeno pepper, cilantro, chips, cheese and lime wedges. The heat from the spices and broth really felt great on my throat! I'll keep the ingredients on hand for the next time I feel under the weather!

Most Helpful Critical Review

Wow! As I was making this I stole a few tastes and was wondering whether or not it would taste great when it was finished. As soon as I served it to all my family members, they couldn't stop raving about how amazing this soup was. I have to agree. I loved the Southwestern Flair; it reminded me of home. I follwed this recipe to a tee and will do so again and again. I can see why this recipe was featured in USA Today. It'd be a great idea if you need something to make for LOTS of people, since it is a HUGE amount of soup. Even with four of us eating, there was enough left over for all of us for DAYS. And it's just as good reheated.

I didn't use Pam's soup base recipe...I just used frozen, thawed rotissirie chicken (I always buy one when I grocery shop, use part of it in a recipe & then freeze half ...when in a time crunch, it beats out canned chicken anyday ;o) ) & low sodium broth. I did saute onions, celery & red bell pepper in EVOO to soften for a few minutes (I also sauteed the cumin & chile powder for a minute or two to help draw out their flavor) before adding the broth & chicken so I think it was pretty comparable to Pam's soup base. From that point, I followed the recipe except I omitted the cheese & garnished w/ a tbp of low-fat sour cream & a lime slice. Love your recipes Pam!

The original recipe was a good start, but this is a lot healthier. I received big complements on this very hearty soup and even though it was made at the last minute, it was still delicious! I cook without wheat, avoid added salt, love spicy food (but have a wimpy husband), and except for chicken broth, I cook without meat.
Sauté 1 chopped onion and when it starts to brown add 2 stalks of chopped celery, cooking until tender.
On low heat, I added only one tablespoon cumin and one teaspoon chili powder (feared it would be too much in the original recipe). I have fresh lemon thyme, so I stirred in a bit of that in also.
After the spices are warmed a bit, increase heat and add about 3-4 cups of water and 3-4 packets of sodium free (and gluten free) chicken broth (Herb-ox). Add tomatoes and corn (I didn't have any jalapeño) and cook for a few minutes. My husband walked by and suggested adding leftover rice to it to get it out of the fridge (it was a good idea).
I then added the rinsed beans at the end (so not to overcook already soft canned beans) and stirred in a little fresh cilantro and ground pepper before serving.
My meat eater added chopped ham to his serving. Sprinkle each serving with low-fat Mexican cheese and top with a dollop of fat-free yogurt (or sour cream). Someone was in the baked corn chips, so I was only able to determine they would have been a very good addition.

This is the best soup ever! I first made it when I was looking for a soup with a 'restaurant quality' soup base. This is definitly the answer! The broth is rich and full of flavor. The soup is great when made as indicated - don't change a thing!

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.